Arrival Reimagined
by Galtori
Summary: This is another part of my 'Reimagined' series. This can stand alone, but it's better in the context of the series. This is a slight AU on the Mass Effect 2 Arrival mission. Rated M for violence and sexual situations.
1. Rolling With the Punches

Introduction: Rolling with the Punches

Shepard accepted the call in her cabin, wondering what would make Admiral Hackett desperate enough to reach out to her. But as he briefed her on the situation, it became more obvious. Trying to break an Alliance official out of a Batarian prison would put a political strain on Human-Batarian relations. But Dr. Kenson could provide the evidence Shepard needed to regain her credibility amongst the Alliance and the Council. She was the perfect person to send after the doctor.

"I wish I could send you with one of your own people, but Cerberus isn't on friendly territory with the Alliance," Hackett stated.

"I understand that. Thank you for trusting me with this, but I would prefer to have someone else on the ground team as well." _The best laid plans never make it past first contact._ Shepard wanted backup in case something went wrong.

"Which is why I'm sending someone I can trust, and someone I hope you can trust as well. I'm sending you an experienced spec ops operative. He's had some time to hone his skills, and he should prove useful to you. I'm sending over his basic files. Unfortunately, I can't give any confidential data about him." She saw Hackett reach over to his computer, and her omni-tool gave a ping less than a minute later. She pulled up the file to see …

"Kaidan Alenko?" It took her a moment to pull the shock off of her face, though she was careful not to let any other emotions slip through. "He should be professional enough to avoid a personal conflict, and I do trust him to have my six." Hopefully, Hackett would read into her statement. He knew that she had been using Kaidan as a deep-cover contact. Hackett had probably been one of the first to see the intel she passed. But she carefully turned her attention back to the bare-bones file. Kaidan had indeed done plenty of missions before Horizon, but the six month gap after her death did not go unnoticed. She nodded briskly before closing the file.

"You'll rendezvous with him on Omega. He'll be waiting for you alone. Take care of him while you're out there. I'll debrief both of you once you have Dr. Kenson and have confirmed her information about the Reapers. Hackett out."

"Joker, set a course for Omega. EDI, get a room ready for a guest. He's an Alliance spec op, so go easy on the yellow. Also, be sure to inform Dr. Chakwas, Gardner, Kelly, and the ground team. Make a point of letting them know that our guest will be treated with respect, regardless of their personal thoughts and opinions." Even though it was pointless, she shot a firm look at the ceiling to make her point clear. Kaidan would not be harassed for Horizon. She then forwarded the file to Dr. Chakwas, adding a note that the rest of the crew didn't know who he was yet, and she wanted to keep it that way. She then walked to Kasumi's quarters. She would need the thief's help blending in on Omega.

AN: Hello again everyone! I really just couldn't wait to publish this. I didn't want to confuse everyone by publishing this before anything else in the series, so I published 'Growing Up' to introduce some of the cannon for this series. As always, this deals with AU territory. I always like to see the heart of the story from a different perspective. And some time ago, I was talking with Shenko friends on Tumblr, when I believe Maddy introduced the idea of letting the VS join Shepard on Aratoht. I thought that made a lot of sense. While Liara wasn't able to join Shepard in the Collector hunt, she was part of a pivotal DLC. So why not show the VS some love and include him or her on Arrival. It made sense to me that Hackett wouldn't be able to fully trust Shepard to work alone, so he sent in someone who knows Shepard's character. In my series, Annalisa Shepard has been in secret contact with the Alliance, forwarding them information through Garrus, Tali, and Kaidan. So Hackett sends Kaidan for additional reasons. He and Anna have already been working together, and it's a good way to put official Alliance eyes on an independent vessel. This mission does take place after the Collector base.

As always, my most heartfelt thanks go to my beta Jules Hawk, who is spectacular and keeps me from doing crazy stuff. Everything Mass Effect belongs to Bioware, and the heart of this idea once again goes out to the Shenko fandom on Tumblr. You guys are all so awesome and crazy and keep me on my toes.


	2. Out on the Town

Chapter 1: Out on the Town

Shepard stepped off the _Normandy_, happy with her appearance. The thief had been especially helpful in finding something better than that tight dress. Now she wore sleek black pants and a strapless red top with ruching at the bottom and gold beading at the top. She also had a black jacket over the top, where she had a gun holstered in case things got ugly. Black boots completed the outfit, and Kasumi had done her makeup and hair. While she had felt painted into her dress and powdered up like a doll on Bekenstein, this felt more natural to her. She was feminine without being a doll, and Shepard felt free to move into combat if needed. Her cheeks had flushed slightly when she walked to the airlock and felt the crew's eyes glued to her, but she didn't show her nervousness. Instead, she walked into Afterlife, where Kaidan was waiting.

Afterlife wasn't as crowded as she thought it would be, but that only made it easier to pick him out. After looking around for a few minutes, she saw him sitting in a booth. She didn't want to head over right away, so she stepped onto the dance floor. Everyone knew she couldn't dance, but that didn't stop her from having fun with the music. A few Asari seemed to enjoy her enthusiasm and joined her. A quick glance at Kaidan revealed a nearly straight face. But she knew his body language, and knew that he was enjoying the sight. After a while, she stepped over to the bar, thirsty and pleasantly winded. The bartender slid a glass of water and a brightly colored drink to her before she had the chance to place an order.

"Compliments of that guy," he stated gruffly, pointing at Kaidan's booth. Raising an eyebrow, she drained the water, picked up the other drink, and walked over to Kaidan. During her walk, she took the time to take in his appearance. He had parted his hair over one side, letting part of his new bangs cover the right side of his face. A nasty scar stretched over his left cheek towards his temple. He wore a white button-up shirt that fit him well with black pants and shoes. He looked quite handsome in this attire, and she almost had to wonder why nobody else in the bar had walked up to him.

"Thank you. Mind if I ask what I did to deserve this?" She was reserved with her body language, trying to hide a grin.

"I was hoping I could have the next dance, once you finish that," he answered smoothly. She took a drink before answering him.

"I don't see why not." She paused before she finished her drink. It slid down smoothly and left a light tingle, though the nanoprobes would quickly erase all traces of the alcohol. "Why not take that opportunity now?" They walked out onto the dance floor, and if she closed her eyes, she could almost pretend that they were in Flux, that the past two years hadn't happened. She could feel the heat from his body next to hers, and knew that he was thinking the same thing. She opened her eyes, and saw the passion in his. But a glance past his shoulder revealed Aria's couch, where Aria sat, a smug smirk on her face as she stared at the pair. Aria's old comment about finding a warm body entered Shepard's mind, and she leveled a glare at Aria, hoping to earn some privacy, and stopped dancing. "That was fun. But I think I'll head back to my ship now."

"Fair enough," he conceded. "But thank you for this dance." He bowed at the waist and took her hand, kissing it. Her face flushed as a thrill went through her. She nodded in return and left Afterlife. She walked with purpose out of Afterlife, but paused by a side railing for a few minutes. When she saw Kaidan emerge from the club with a bag, most likely his gear, and spot her, she moved again towards the shops, knowing he would follow her. But the trip to the shops was cut short as she remembered how to get to a secluded apartment building with dark alleys. She immediately changed her course to go there. As soon as she slipped in, she felt him quickly close the gap and join her.

"Anna," he whispered as he held her face in his hands. The bag fell carelessly to the ground. He kissed her passionately, their first since her death and resurrection. All their time trading secret messages had finally paid off. They had been using secret accounts, heavy encryption, and the help of Garrus and Tali to keep in contact, but Shepard had been using it as an Alliance lifeline. She had kept Alliance HQ as well appraised as she could, forwarding any info Dr. Chakwas and Joker had as well. With any hope, it would help pave her way back into the Alliance and give them the edge over Cerberus. "I was so scared I would never hold you again." His hands roamed over her body, and a sigh left her lips as his grazed her neck. She thanked him by rubbing herself against him, feeling the strain in his muscles. "And you were rolling your hips just to tease me," he growled in her ear as his hands slid over her sides, brushing against the gun. She felt his smile as she hooked a leg over his hip, giving each other better access. They were careful not to touch each other's hair, lest they give the crew the impression that they'd been making out.

"I couldn't leave you," she whispered as she slipped her hands under his shirt, enjoying the muscles he had developed over their time apart. "I tried contacting you before Horizon. You know that, right?" She looked into his eyes, fearful he would say no. But he looked at her with trust.

"Of course. I was a fool to not realize that," she heard the self-loathing in his voice and placed a finger over his lips.

"No. You had every right to be cautious. If I had been a puppet, you would have been the only one to realize it." She traced a thumb over his scar, feeling the ridging and bumps. Some of the skin around it was still pink. "Is this cosmetic? It certainly doesn't feel like it." He rubbed his hand behind his neck, coloring a little in the darkness.

"Not exactly." She raised an eyebrow and he volunteered an answer. "My last mission got a little too hot. I was too far from help to get it properly fixed up, but I was able to keep it from getting infected. Then I figured it would also be a good way to keep anyone from recognizing me here." She kissed the scar before replying.

"We have some stuff on the _Normandy_ that should fix that. I'll let Karin know when we get on board, though she'll probably fire it up as soon as she sees you." She pressed herself against him, glad to feel his body next to her again.

"As much as I would love to stay, we do need to go there. The sooner we can complete our 'objective', the sooner your claims can be validated." He placed one last kiss on her cheek and stepped back, straightening his clothes while she did the same. From there, she stepped out of the alley first, walking back towards the _Normandy_, knowing he was closely following her. The decon cycle felt like it took longer than necessary, but they both finally stepped out.

"Alenko? That's the contact? _He's_ the spec op?" Joker's near whiny tone was enough to step on her nerves.

"What did I say before we came to Omega?" She reminded the pilot.

"So you knew?" He all but spat.

"Yes, I knew. Hackett told me."

"So you just didn't tell us before now?"

"I didn't say anything to keep the crew from sharpening their village pitchforks. Now, I'm going to sort several things out. If you have any more non-essential grievances, they can wait until I'm done." She turned around and motioned for Kaidan to follow her. She quickly realized just how curious the crew was about the Alliance operative, as almost everyone on the ground team and most of the day crew was out in the CIC or the mess hall, subtly trying to grab a glance at the Alliance operative. Miranda and Jacob both gave him disdainful looks, but Shepard kept them quiet with a glance. "Staff Commander," she indicated the medbay doors, and he walked through. "I brought a guest, Karin. I think you'll like him." Karin turned and smiled before frowning.

"What did you do to face, Kaidan?" She clucked her tongue as she inspected the scar better. "You're fortunate that we can fix that here. Yours is a relatively small scar, and I've had practice, so it shouldn't take longer than 30 minutes to fix this. Lie down," she instructed, indicating one of the beds.

"You get yourself fixed up, Alenko. I'll start us on the approach to Aratoht once we get our supplies on-board." She patted him on the shoulder. "EDI, where can the Staff Commander go to rest afterwards?"

"Unfortunately, there are no available beds on the _Normandy_." Shepard thought for a moment before a delicious idea came to her mind. Hiding her smile, she looked at Kaidan. "Would I offend your manly Alliance sensitivities if I offered the couch in my cabin for you to sleep on?" He partly got up, looking at Miranda's quarters.

"There's a couch in there?" He asked incredulously. She let her smile slip at that point.

"No. My cabin is above the CIC." His eyebrows rose.

"Well, is it comfortable?" He prodded. She laughed in response.

"Cerberus didn't cut corners. It's comfy. You'll be able to rest." He thought for a moment before nodding.

"That doesn't seem unreasonable."

"EDI, please allow Staff Commander Alenko access to my cabin. Oh, and EDI, when the Staff Commander is in my cabin, enable the same privacy protocols that I have." Shepard ordered calmly.

"Of course, Shepard. Logging you out," EDI responded.

"Go on and get your cabin ready, Anna. I'll take care of him and let you know when he will head over." With that, Dr. Chakwas shooed the Commander out of the medbay. Anna busied herself with fixing a pretend bed on the couch, getting food for both of them into her cabin, and making sure that Miranda, Jacob, Joker, Jack, Zaeed, and Kelly knew better than to mess with him. Finally, Dr. Chakwas said that Kaidan was finished. She greeted him as he got off the bed. His scar was now gone, and the skin where it had been was healed.

"Ready to head out and deal with the angry village mob?" She asked him.

"Ready as I'll ever be." He took a deep breath, then stepped out of the medbay to find Garrus and Tali waiting nearby. "Hey, how have you two been?" Realizing the stupidity of his question, he quietly rubbed the back of his neck with his hand.

"So how's it feel to have the shoe on the other foot?" Garrus asked.

"Pretty shitty to be honest. Point made." He answered. Garrus nodded.

"As long as you understand that. And what's with that outfit? Joker said you were trying to go woman-hunting in it?" Kaidan and Anna snorted at that comment. Leave it to Joker to make a typical smart-ass comment.

"What can I say, Garrus? Omega is no longer your turf, so I'm free to look around." Kaidan cracked a grin.

"Joker also says that you're the newest person to get use out of the upgraded medbay's capabilities." He fluttered his mandibles as Kaidan nodded. "Shepard and I have had to use it as well. Apparently trying to kiss a rocket is bad for your face." Both men gave a hearty chuckle. Tali cleared her throat in the background, causing Kaidan to turn and give a hesitant smile to the Quarian.

"You were an ass on Horizon, just so you know," Tali stated.

"Yeah. I know pretty well by now." Kaidan answered, having the humility to stare at his feet.

"But I know that's part of who you are." She reached forward and pulled him into a hug. Kaidan's face was shocked for a moment before he returned the embrace.

"Thanks, Tali. That means a lot." The two parted, and Anna felt some relief at the whole situation. "So how was life back in the flotilla?"

"Different, but good. I was doing important missions for my people." As the three began to catch up, Shepard noticed a good portion of the crew disperse and head back to their various duties. She hadn't expected Miranda to leave, but suspected nothing good would happen when Kelly began her approach.

"You must be our newest crew member," Kelly said. _Definitely not the best thing to say,_ Anna thought as Kaidan stiffened.

"Alenko is working with me for one mission. That's all, Chambers," Shepard answered for Kaidan sternly.

"Either way, what little I could glean of your record was impressive. Everyone says you have remarkable biotic strength. You must have some interesting stories to tell about your missions." She stepped closer and closer, applying a sickeningly sweet charm that, if anything, seemed to repel Kaidan.

"Most of the best stories come from my time on the SR-1. I was lucky enough to serve with a talented, diverse crew and serve under an equally talented Commander. However, if you'll excuse me, I'm tired and hungry." Kaidan turned from her towards Gardner before Anna stopped him.

"I had Gardner send dinner up for both of us. We _both_ need to be well rested for this mission. Joker, once we have the supplies, let me know, and we can head out for Aratoht."

"Yes, ma'am. Should be another hour before we undock," Joker informed her. With that, Shepard stepped into the elevator with Kaidan, heading up to her cabin.


	3. The Loftiest Heights

Chapter 2: The Loftiest Heights

"Welcome to the Loft," she gestured for him to walk inside.

"The Loft? It sounds a little grandiose for your –" His voice trailed off as he took in the size of her quarters. "I think I was mistaken." Anna laughed at that, probably the most sincere laugh since she had reawakened if she were honest with herself. "Food real quick," he stated, walking to the couch and beginning to eat.

"EDI, the Staff Commander and I are going to catch up and then rest before the mission. If anyone needs to contact me, they can send a message to my omni-tool. Only the most urgent items should be brought to my immediate attention," she stated briskly.

"As you wish, Shepard. Is there anything else?"

"No."

"Very well. Logging you out." And with that, they were alone. Anna sighed in relief and sat next to Kaidan, quickly devouring her own meal.

"Now that we're alone and fed," she purred, reaching for Kaidan's shirt. He grinned and pushed his hair back, partly falling into its old shape out of habit and static.

"Now this wouldn't be some territorial part of you coming out since that little red head flirted, would it?" He teased at her, but his voice grew gravelly, eager to play her game.

"It might. But only to teach you who you belong to." She began to unbutton his shirt, enjoying the expanse of toned muscles that greeted her. She pressed a kiss to his Adam's apple, and he sighed in response. "Besides, I'm surprised nobody tried to hit on you in Afterlife."

"There were several Asari before you came in. But none of them lasted longer than a minute. Not when I knew you were so close. I kept telling them I was waiting for my wife." Her eyebrows shot up when he said that, and he used the opportunity to tug her jacket off, kissing one shoulder as the falling fabric revealed her skin. "So what made you leave so soon? I was having fun with you."

"Aria was watching us, and she had made a comment before I went through the Omega relay. Something about needing a warm body. She was smirking like a Cheshire cat when she saw us." He hummed thoughtfully as she spoke, placing his hands on her shirt. "But I'm guessing you loved it when those Asari started dancing with me."

"You'll also notice that they stopped dancing when we stepped out together. They were the ones who approached me." Shepard chuckled as Kaidan's lips began to explore her clavicle. "But you are right. I did enjoy it. I only wish we could have danced longer."

"Who says we can't?" Anna stood up, walked over to her bedside, and turned on her radio, letting a popular nightclub song play. She then walked back to Kaidan, pulling him up to dance with her, all but grinding against him now that they were alone. Kaidan grinned as they danced, grabbing her butt. "May I help you?"

"I like your ass in those pants," he replied, as if it were the most obvious statement.

"Anything else you like?" She leaned back, but did not step out of his grasp.

"I don't have enough hands to touch everything I like. The Hindu gods with 8 arms don't have enough hands." He knelt down, touching her back with one hand and sliding her shirt up with the other, kissing the plane of her stomach and sending shivers up and down her spine. It took effort to remain standing. When he stopped, she pushed him to the couch, allowing herself to inspect his body and found scars she didn't remember from Ilos.

"Where did these come from?" She asked as she traced three scars just under his ribs.

"An early tangle with the Vorcha. They scarred because of a bad infection. Put me in a hospital for a week after that mission." She winced, picturing him there too easily. She pushed the image from her mind.

"How did it get infected?"

"Vorcha aren't exactly clean creatures to begin with, and I kept following them when I should have fallen back. They almost captured me, but I escaped. However, I had to hide for a while, which lead to the infection."

"You should have known to retreat. That was dangerous and risky behavior," she chided.

"I gladly tangled with danger and grabbed death by the bullhorns. I took stupid risks and everyone knew it. But it was all for the chance to be near you. I just kept getting lucky. I suppose this is why." Her heart broke as he said the words, and she leaned into him, pressing her lips to each scar, scrutinizing the signs of his mourning she knew them to be.

"Then let's make new memories. Something pleasant to remember." She climbed on top of him, purposefully rubbing herself against him as he hissed in pleasure.

"You don't have to convince me," he answered, lifting her up and carrying her to the bed. He toed off his shoes and unzipped her boots before he focused on their pants.

* * *

Kaidan Alenko was a happy man. He was in a comfortable bed with the woman he had loved, lost, and regained. They had reacquainted themselves with each other over the past night. Now he lay curled around her, one hand over her heart. He had pressed many kisses to her heart that night, as she had pressed kisses to his. They had gone fast and needy, slow and caring, everything they could think of until they couldn't think anymore. Now they lay together, sated, pleasantly sore, and mostly asleep. Kaidan was barely awake, happy to stay at the edge of consciousness. He could hear her chest rise and fall, feel her twitch ever so softly in her sleep.

Just as suddenly, he felt her stiffen and begin to jerk in her sleep. He had woken to a nightmare of Shepard's on multiple occasions. He hadn't even wondered what her death had done for her nightmares, and now the thought made his heart ache. He shook her slightly, trying to gently wake her.

"Anna, wake up. You're dreaming!" He almost shouted, hoping the noise wouldn't drift to the CIC. Anna had always been self-conscious about her nightmares, trying to keep the crew in the dark whenever possible. Kaidan waited a moment for Shepard to respond, and shook her harder when she didn't. In response, she lashed out at him. Kaidan pulled into a defensive position, trying to keep her from hurting either of them.

"No! Don't take him!" She screamed, and Kaidan froze. She flailed, and he attempted to grab her once more.

"Commander Shepard, wake up." EDI commanded over the room's PA. With that, Shepard's eyes flew open, and she rolled over, throwing up over the edge of the bed.

"Anna," Kaidan called softly, trying not to startle her. She still jumped and turned to him, fear in her eyes for a moment before she all but tackled him, pressing her shaking and gasping body against his. He instinctively held her, rubbing her back and gently rocking her.

"Shepard, are you well enough now?" EDI spoke again, and he could have sworn he heard concern and compassion in her voice. "Should I call Dr. Chakwas or Dr. Solus?"

"No," Shepard choked out, still breathing hard. "No, EDI. But thank you. I think I'm good now." She leaned her forehead against Kaidan's cheek, and any questions about the strange VI left.

"Do you want to talk about it?" He asked as he rubbed the back of her head. She shuddered in response.

"I was back on Horizon," She spoke haltingly, as if forcing herself to divulge each phrase or sentence. "I was too late for you." With that, he froze for a moment. "I watched them drag you onto their ship, the one that –" She broke off, as if unable to speak.

"Tell me," he encouraged. "You know you can trust me." She took another shuddering breath before she said it.

"The ship that killed me." Everything ground to a halt.

"What," he whispered. Surely that was some awful lie.

"The Collector vessel that killed me is the same one that attacked Horizon." He was shaking, but he wasn't sure if it was out of fear, anger, or both. Instead of trying to figure it out, he wrapped his arms around her tighter. He could still hear the original _Normandy_ fall apart in his nightmares, had heard it for two years.

"It will never touch us again," he promised. He could offer little more than his protection, but if it gave her comfort, he would scare or kill this threat. He loved her too much to do anything less.

"I know. We killed it before we took on the Collector base." He smirked with pride. Most would have run from something that did that much damage to their life; but not Shepard. Threaten her, and you soon regretted it. The Collectors only had to wait two years to earn the full might of her vengeance. He only wished he could have seen it go down in flames.

"And no matter what, I'm right here. Reapers can't scare me away, Collectors can't take me. Not anymore. I stepped away from you because I refused to work for Cerberus. But you aren't with them anymore. So now I'm here to stay. I was going to wait until the mission was over, but I'll tell you now: Hackett wants to begin negotiating for your reintegration into the Alliance as soon as this is done. And he wants me to be the Alliance Liaison." He kissed her forehead as she stared at him in stunned silence. "So can I take that as a good silence or a bad silence?" She curled into him.

"Best silence. I'm glad to have you here again." She looked at him with a wicked smile. "So how long can I convince the crew there isn't anywhere else you can sleep?" He chuckled in response.

"As long as you want. You're the one in charge." He caressed her cheek. "But either way, we should get up and clean that up." She flushed in embarrassment.

"EDI, please ask Gardner to come up in here five minutes," she requested. "Oh, and is the coffee pot full?"

"Anna," he chided. She shot him a softened look.

"I will. And there should be enough coffee for two cups," EDI responded.

"Thank you. That'll be all, EDI." Anna spoke as she dressed, and Kaidan picked up his clothes from around the bedroom, dressing quickly as Anna washed her mouth out. "Come on, Kaidan. The coffee on this ship is better than the Alliance."


	4. Silence is Golden

Chapter 3: Silence is Golden

They touched down on rainy Aratoht and left the dryness of the shuttle, looking around for anyone who might see them or the retreating shuttle. As they found nothing alarming, they stepped under a small roof and looked at each other.

"So, are we going to try to sneak in, or are we going to kill everything on sight?" Kaidan asked cautiously. She was glad that he would defer to her judgment, but here she needed his input.

"What do you think?" She asked, keeping an eye out for any patrols.

"Stealth will probably get us further into the building without problems, but will be more difficult to maintain. There's also the risk of getting swarmed on the way out."

"I was thinking the same thing. Let's just start shooting on the way in. I'd rather force my way in than risk getting overwhelmed on the way out."

"Then try this on for size. It's a new Alliance model with a silencer. Should help us thin out sentries without giving our position away." He handed her a pistol, but with a silencer on the end. She smirked as she traded her Carnifex in for this gem. After that, Kaidan hacked his way in, and the two began quietly taking sentries out, stuffing the bodies wherever they could, and fighting when they had no other choice. The place was run-down enough to make hiding bodies fairly easy. After searching for a while, they found Kenson. Taking out her guard, Anna got rid of the physical restraints while Kaidan deactivated the torture device.

"Who are you two? What are you doing?" The doctor asked in confusion.

"I'm Staff Commander Kaidan Alenko, and this is Commander Shepard. We're here to rescue you and recover the data you discovered," Kaidan stated as the device lifted away.

"I'd heard rumors that you were alive, but nothing more. Hackett recovered my message, didn't he?" The hope in her voice confirmed both of their thoughts: the truth about the Reapers was most likely a convenient reason to convince them to run into danger. Hackett really wanted his friend out of Batarian prison.

"Can you walk? We can talk when we're safe," Anna added, ready to be rid of the wet planet.

"Yes, but give me a moment." Kenson began to stretch and move her muscles, but the clock was ticking and they all knew it.

"The longer we give the Batarians, the more guards they'll have waiting for us. We don't have time." Kaidan's tone brooked no argument, and the three began walking to the door as Kaidan handed the Carnifex to Kenson.

"If we can find a console, then I can hack the prison's security measures. That should clear out some of the guards and carve a path through the rest." Dr. Kenson crunched her guard's neck before she stood behind them. "Let's go."

The trio fought their way to a console as alarms blared. Both stored their silencing pistols and instead went for biotic and tech attacks. After fighting down several long corridors, they found a console. Fortunately, it had a small corridor for an entrance, providing the doctor with cover. Anna and Kaidan fought anyone who tried to stop her until they had a new exit strategy.

"We need to open the hanger doors manually." Kenson told them later, as the trio finally found a route to the hanger bay.

"I can handle that. Keep her covered, Alenko," Shepard ordered as they came under fire again.

"Aye aye, ma'am," he responded, bringing back memories for both of them. He brought Kenson close to the shuttle while Anna managed to destroy some flammable containers near the doors, unlocking them. But when Kaidan ushered the doctor into the shuttle, they both spotted more men.

"Get into the pilot's seat, Shepard. I got this," he pulled out his sub-machine gun and pulled a strong barrier over himself, stronger than when they had served on the SR-1. As she set up the auto-pilot, she saw him charge up to the mercs, freeze one, overload the shields of the leader, then take most of them out by detonating his tech armor, punching one left standing. But as he turned back to the shuttle, she saw one more step out of the shadows.

"Behind you!" she shouted into the comm, fear in her voice. Kaidan had enough time to turn around before the guard was on top of him, ramming him into the ground. Anna quickly scrambled out of the shuttle, but stopped when a bright flash of blue filled the room. She heard the thick snap of armor, and rushed towards Kaidan. He pushed the Batarian's body off, and Shepard pulled him to his feet. "Glad you still have reflexes, Alenko. Climb into the co-pilot's seat and help me keep an eye on the radar."


	5. Rattling the Bars

Chapter 4: Rattling the Bars

"Dr. Kenson, do we have time to head to your facility before the Batarians get on our tail again?" Kaidan asked, all business now that they were out of the planet's atmosphere.

"Yes, it should take them a while to descramble their security," she answered with pride.

"But they will come after you again?" Shepard asked, wanting to know if they should expect an ambush on the way to the _Normandy_.

"I won't take chances with this. The Batarians never take kindly to someone planning to destroy their mass relay." She stated it so simply, but her words seemed to reverberate around the shuttle. Kaidan and Shepard quickly swapped glances. The shit was certainly hitting the fan now.

"Well at least we know the charges are true," Kaidan dead-panned. Shepard had missed the dry humor and almost laughed. They had both overheard guards talking about a plot to blow up a relay, but neither knew if it was possible, much less how it would be done.

"It's only half the story," Kenson spat back, defensive. Both marines nodded and indicated for her to continue. "My people and I were investigating rumors of Reaper technology out in the fringes of this system."

"What did you find?" Shepard asked, eager to know if it was still intact. Hopefully, the Council wouldn't be able to ignore a Reaper artifact staring them in the face.

"We found proof that the Reapers will be arriving in this system. When they get here, they'll use its mass relay to travel throughout the galaxy. We call it the 'Alpha Relay'. From here, the Reapers can invade anywhere in the galaxy." Shepard felt breathless for a moment. The Reapers really were arriving. Prior knowledge only made it a little easier to shake off. A quick glance at Kaidan proved that he was a little unnerved as well. But it wasn't unexpected. The Reapers would come eventually; it was only a matter of time.

"So you sought to destroy it," Kaidan finished.

"Exactly. If we did, we could delay the Reaper invasion by months or even years. We came up with a plan to launch an asteroid into the relay, destroying it before the Reapers arrived. We called it 'The Project'. Destroying the relay would also cause an explosion that theoretically would wipe out the entire system." _This Project just keeps getting better._

"So nothing too serious. Just get to look like terrorists hiding behind imaginary enemies." That actually got a chuckle out of Shepard.

"Are you sure about the possibility of destroying the system?" Anna asked. It would be a huge risk to take, but they had to stop the Reapers.

"From all of our calculations, the energy released from the destruction would be on the scale of a supernova." While Kenson never said it, they all knew it had never been done before. But that didn't allow them to disregard the data.

"How many live in this system?" Kaidan asked. _Trust Kaidan to ask the difficult questions._

"Three hundred thousand Batarians on Aratoht. It's a remote system." They both almost scoffed. Remote was a relative term, and they both knew the kind of destruction the Reapers could cause. But even they weren't so arrogant to doom so many innocent lives.

"Were you going to make any attempt to warn the colony," Kaidan asked. Kenson at least stiffened at that question.

"No."

"How did you even plan to do this? I know the guards mentioned smuggling engine parts, but you would have to strand one of your people to guide it." Kaidan's character shone though.

"Omega's salvage yards provided the needed engines and the guidance VIs, which are attached to an asteroid. After that, just point and aim." _Something's wrong,_ Anna thought. _It's all too callous._

"What was the Project's status before you were arrested? Is it still salvageable," Shepard asked. Kenson seemed to have done her homework and seemed to have the hardware, but they could be stuck at installation. "We can have some of the _Normandy_'s engineers assist you if we need to." Kaidan's eyes flashed to her across from Kenson, but someone had to appear on-board with The Project.

"We were a button-press from launching before I was arrested," Kenson answered. Now Anna saw the suspicion in Kaidan's eyes. If they were so sure about The Project, they would have launched with or without Dr. Kenson.

"None of this explains why you believe the Reapers are coming here. Or that they even exist. What makes you so sure?"

"We call it Object Rho. It's a Reaper artifact that we found among the asteroids near the relay. Once we're back on Arcturus, I can give you copies of my notes and explain it more thoroughly." For finding an artifact that gave information about an imminent Reaper invasion, she sure was blasé. Shepard was feeling more suspicious by the minute.

"Why would a Reaper artifact be so close to a relay? Surely they would have realized that they dropped something on their way out of the galaxy. More importantly, someone would have found it before now," Kaidan added, voicing some of Shepard's suspicions.

"We don't know. Some things are too old or large to comprehend. Even a Reaper thousands of years dead contains power." _We know that first hand._ "Their artifacts are worthy of study, regardless of their purpose."

"But how did it inform you of an invasion?"

"It showed me visions of the Reapers' arrival … much like your Prothean beacon, I imagine. The Reapers are coming, Commander. That much I know for certain." As Kenson answered, Shepard still couldn't shake her bad feeling. Too many people had fallen prey to indoctrination.

"But how did you avoid indoctrination? Surely you know the risks associated with an artifact like that." Kaidan voiced her concern, but Dr. Kenson seemed insulted by the question.

"We are careful with the artifact. We know what we're doing. I know what Sovereign did at the Citadel. Trust me – I know what's at stake." Her response put both of them further at ease. At least someone was willing to take the Reapers seriously when doing their research.

"You'll have to pardon our caution. Most scientists dismiss the Reapers as imaginary monsters and don't take the necessary precautions, leaving themselves open to indoctrination," Kaidan explained.

"The stakes are too high on this. If you were willing to destroy a whole system over this, we need to see the proof in person." Shepard finally spoke up. They needed to see this artifact and hopefully bring it to the Council. Surely they wouldn't dismiss her claims about the Reapers if they saw this. Dr. Kenson remained still for a few moments.

"I understand. Let me speak with my people." She stepped away and tapped a comm. "Project Base, do you read me?"

"We read you and are glad to hear you. Are you heading back to us?" They could hear one of the Dr.'s companions speaking to her. Though she couldn't guess how she had been able to hide it from the guards.

"I am, and I'm bringing two guests: Commander Shepard and Staff Commander Alenko. Make sure everything is in order so they can confirm our data about the Reaper device."

"Alright. We should be ready soon. Project Base out." Once she finished the conversation, Kenson walked into the cockpit and came out a few minutes later.

"I adjusted the auto-pilot to take us to the base. We will arrive soon," she informed them.

"Good. We'll send our coordinates to the _Normandy _once we confirm the object. Updating them on our status," Kaidan said, and the three settled into waiting for the shuttle to dock with the asteroid.


	6. Greetings from Object Rho

Chapter 5: Greetings from Object Rho

The shuttle landed, and the three stepped out. Shepard's attention was immediately drawn by the timer, while Kaidan's was drawn to the lack of personnel greeting them.

"So what are you counting down to," she asked.

"The Reaper's arrival. It's down to just a little over two days." A chill ran through the room. They all knew the Alliance wasn't prepared. "Puts things in perspective, doesn't it?"

"How accurate is that countdown?" Kaidan prompted, swallowing a little harder than normal.

"Very. The artifact has been giving off pulses at definite intervals since we discovered it. Those intervals have been decreasing at a steady rate. It's reacting to the Reapers' proximity. In just over forty eight hours, the pulses will become continuous, and the Reapers will be here."

"So the Reapers could be at Earth in two days," Shepard confirmed. "Then we don't have time to waste. We have to alert the Alliance and the Council immediately."

"Then we'll go straight to the artifact." Kenson led them through the facility, discussing how the Project team was actually in an ethical debate over destroying the relay when Kenson left, which calmed Kaidan and Anna slightly. But unfortunately, there was no other way to delay the Reapers. Both soldiers knew that allowing the Batarians here to live would only force them to become husks later, or whatever version of husks Batarians became. Finally, Dr. Kenson opened the last door.

* * *

"Commander Shepard, Staff Commander Alenko, I give you Object Rho," Dr. Kenson stated, spreading her arms wide to gesture forward.

The three stepped into the room holding Object Rho. It was a terrible sight to behold, giving Kaidan chills. But what clicked in his mind moments later was the lack of containment fields. There were none at all. The artifact was just sitting out in the open.

"You have a Reaper artifact just sitting out in the open? Where are the containment measures you spoke of earlier?" Shepard asked furiously. He had seen Shepard pissed a few times, and this was one of them. And he shared her fury. Kenson had spoken of understanding, felt insulted when they asked about containment measures, yet lied to them. _Why?_ Kaidan took a small step back, wary of being so close to such a powerful object.

"When we found it, it showed me a vision of the Reaper's arrival," she sounded enraptured now. _Definitely bad._ Neither of them knew how long she had been exposed to this thing, how far the Reapers had crawled into her mind.

"Shepard, this is not good." He saw her hand drift towards her pistol in response to his warning. Kaidan felt the hum of his implant in response to the adrenaline. He knew they would have to fight their way off this asteroid.

"Give it a moment," Kenson soothed. "It will show Shepard all the proof you two need." Shepard quickly glanced back at him before taking two steps towards the artifact. Suddenly, her head tilted back and her knees buckled. She collapsed onto all fours, a strange mass effect field surrounding her body.

"Shepard!" He rushed towards her, unthinking. He was careful not to touch her, but got within her field of vision. Their eyes connected, and he could see that her eyes were unfocused, seeing something else. He heard a pistol pulled out of its holster and looked up to find Dr. Kenson pointing a gun at Shepard's head.

"I can't have either of you starting the Project again. You cannot stop the arrival!" Kenson's eyes were slightly unfocused as well, a zealous tone coloring her voice. The field had finally dissipated from Shepard, and she was panting on all fours, struggling to get up and using Kaidan as a support. Dr. Kenson looked up as several of her men stormed into the room, and Kaidan took the opportunity to disarm her. At the same time, a few of the men opened fire on them. Shepard cloaked them in a barrier as they scrambled to cover. "Take them down!" Kenson ordered as she retreated from the lab.

"Just like old times?" Shepard shouted to him, pulling out her Carnifex.

"Better," he responded. "Now at least we know why everyone is shooting at us! So can we try to move away from the doom-speaking device and go back to the shuttle?" He overloaded the shields on one trooper, letting Shepard use a warp to take him down.

"In a few minutes. These guys are intent on giving a goodbye hug, but they're a little too creepy for my taste," she retorted.

"Do not resist. Give yourself over and be spared." A dark voice resounded throughout the room. He saw Shepard give a deadly angry look towards Object Rho.

"Kaidan, cover me!" She shouted as she turned towards the object, unloading her pistol clip at the object and throwing a warp at it. "You try to come here, and I will kick your _actual_ metal ass, Harby!" Shepard then turned her attention back to the battle, and Cerberus's efforts on improving Shepard's battle prowess shone. She excelled at cutting down anyone who attempted to engage them.

"Your galaxy is in sight. Your final days are at hand." The object stated, as though speaking doom were part of its job description.

"You know this thing?" Kaidan shouted at Shepard as he pulled a string of grenades from a fallen soldier. "Meet him at a party on Omega or something?"

"He's more like my creepy Collector stalker. He's disappointed that I turned him down and destroyed his ant farm," Anna responded.

"The end of your species will come," Harbinger spoke, his slow and monotone voice quickly grating on Kaidan's nerves. But then an idea struck Kaidan. The beam above where all the soldiers streamed in would make a good battering ram if properly removed.

"Shepard, pull down on that beam on my mark. Now!" Their combined strength ripped the beam down on top of a stream of men running in. Kaidan then overloaded one of the men trapped, electrocuting most of the soldiers touching the beam.

"I don't know why you keep saying these things when you have nothing to back your claims with, Harby," Shepard taunted, panting but still fighting.

"Burn, bitch!" An engineer shouted at Shepard, shooting a flaming projectile at the Commander. Shepard ducked in time, and Kaidan shot a cryo blast at her.

"Why don't you chill the fuck out?" He shouted back as the engineer froze in place, toppling over. He heard Shepard give a bark of laughter before the engineer burst in pieces, shattered by a good shot.

"Activate the heavy mechs!" A soldier ordered, and Kaidan bolted across the room while Shepard put out suppressive fire. They decided to alternate attacks, having it attack one, then taunt it into turning around to attack the other.

"Struggle all you want Shepard. Your mind will be mine." Harbinger's voice once again resounded around them. Kaidan knew he was supposed to be scared, but he could only find anger and hatred for this thing taunting them.

"Why don't you find someone else to fixate on? She's obviously too powerful for you!" Kaidan finally snapped, and Shepard seemed to almost glow with pride for a moment before slinging another strand of unused grenades for him to use.

"I keep telling him the same thing. Some guys just don't know when to give up." A wicked thought popped into his mind, and he grinned at Shepard.

"Maybe I should throw my arm around you and kiss you. It might make it think you're taken!" He heard her laughter echo around the room, out of place in a fight.

"Have faith in the artifact. It'll be over soon," Kenson soothed over the PA. Something about that sobered them both, and they redoubled their efforts to fight back, moving close to each other once more.

"You shall be the first to witness our arrival." Kaidan rolled his eyes, popping out of cover to lay some more grenades when he saw the artifact power up, ready to unleash energy, or so he guessed.

Out of nowhere, something slammed into his side, knocking the wind out of him. He looked over to see Shepard enveloped in a red wave that knocked her onto the floor. Visions of Eden Prime flashed through his mind as he scrambled to protect her from any of the incoming men. He summoned a barrier that surrounded them both, and he went down to one knee, trying to make his barrier as small as possible and conserve his strength. But two vanguards stepped into view. The pair quickly engaged him, and he fought back with all his strength. They would counter cryo blasts with throws and he had been forced to detonate his barrier or tech armor to push them back. If he had been able to move, he could have easily out-maneuvered them, but he was trying to keep them from getting to Shepard. Finally, one charged into him from behind, splaying his mnemonic hand behind him and quickly de-amping him. The shock loosened his muscles, making it easier for them to restrain him. In a final act of defiance, he used the overload he had already queued up on his aggressor, dropping one vanguard. But as Kaidan went to stand, a pistol hit the back of his head. Kenson's face and five other guards floated above Kaidan as he looked up, struggling to keep conscious. He was out of luck and could only hope that the _Normandy_ would find them before the arrival happened.

"Take them to the medbay and patch them up. Kill the man if he struggles too much. We need Shepard alive," Kenson ordered. Icy fear filled Kaidan's gut as a guard grabbed his arm and shoulder, attempting to haul him to his feet. But the quick rush upwards undid Kaidan's efforts to stay awake, and black filled his vision.


	7. Wake Up and Smell the Threats

Chapter 6: Wake Up and Smell the Threats

"Is he awake? Then wake him up." The command was harsh to Kaidan's ears, and was swiftly followed by a slap to the face. He raised a hand to fend off any additional blows, but none came. Instead, someone grabbed his arm and hauled him upright. It took a moment for him to gain his balance, and in that moment, Dr. Kenson placed a gun on his heart. "One false move and I will not hesitate." Kaidan nodded his understanding, and gun was temporarily removed. "We've received a transmission from your ship, and they are insisting on speaking with one of you. I won't risk waking Shepard; she would most likely prove too difficult to control. But you won't leave her here alone with the artifact, will you?" He closed his face off to her. Her leer was too strange to dignify with an answer. "Answer me!" She slapped him, and he reeled, still disoriented from the drugs that had forced him to stay unconscious after surgery.

"I won't leave Commander Shepard." He answered her with a stern voice, unwilling to play her game.

"Good. Go tell the _Normandy_ that we are still working on something and that we won't leave for another day or so. Make up an excuse. The terminal is right here, and we'll be watching you." She and the guard who had pulled him to his feet marched him to a terminal. From there, both stepped away from him.

Kaidan took a few moments to gather himself, then looked at the console. It was relatively simple to figure out, but that wasn't what Kaidan focused on. He had no way to escape the asteroid. There was a small possibility of fighting his way off the asteroid, but it would be impossible if he went looking for Shepard and tried to bring her as well. So that avenue of escape was closed. He instead thought of how to pass a message to Joker or the _Normandy_ without arousing suspicion. There were several Alliance codes for hostage situations, but Kenson would know all of those. He finally decided that he would have to make Joker uncomfortable. Satisfied with his half plan, he decided to hail the _Normandy_ with the view screen on.

"I'm only speaking to Shepard or – whoa." Joker stopped for a moment, looking at Kaidan curiously. "You look like shit, Alenko." He craned in his seat to look behind Kaidan. "Where the hell is Shepard? I've been asking for her for a while. It took me this long just to get you."

"Sorry, Jeff. You know how it is when you have to fight a group of fucking Batarians. They all try to push your face in and you have to show them who's who. They managed to get me a few times though." He messed with his left ear, hoping Joker would remember the old move. He and Joker had developed a silent mode of communication in the cockpit of the SR-1. The signal meant to keep quiet, and that a superior was on the way. He only hoped that Joker would extrapolate the meaning to a hostage situation. "As for Shepard, you know how she is. She hates getting water in her pistol, so she's been obsessing over it. Out of curiosity, how long has 'this long' been?" A foul look from Kenson told him he wouldn't be able to ask much more.

"Uh huh. Whatever man. It's been like eight hours since you said you had Kenson. What the hell is the hold up?" Joker's question was difficult to answer, and Kaidan had to think fast to give a response that would satisfy Kenson.

"We're working with Kenson on some data crunching. It's for something that could prove Shepard was right about the Reapers. It's tedious data, but we need it. She needs it." Kaidan answered Joker in a serious tone, and it was half true. Joker raised an eyebrow slightly, and Kaidan thought he might be catching on.

"Find any cute Asari for me while you're pouring over boring data?" Joker asked, a grin on his face, but Kaidan knew better. This was code question for if he was being watched.

"In an Alliance area? Get some sleep, kiddo." As much as he wanted to answer in code, he couldn't. Kenson would have noticed Kaidan saying yes. With any luck, Joker would notice the comment about Alliance and know not to ask obvious hostage questions. Joker shrugged slowly.

"Either way, I would like to speak to Shepard. We need to head to Omega for supplies, and Shepard always has to give the ok." Kaidan could have collapsed with relief. They had just resupplied, and a resupply mid-mission would never be something Shepard would approve of.

"Just get Miranda's approval. Shepard won't mind, and if she does, she can take it up with me," he said the comment lazily, hoping Joker would instead send the _Normandy_ on a search pattern. Kenson gave him a motion to wrap it up. "Either way, Shepard needs my help with the calculations. I'll leave you to the resupply. Project Base out."

"Roger that, _Normandy_ out." Joker's face disappeared, and Kaidan let out the breath he was holding.

"Well done, Staff Commander. Good night." As Kenson spoke, Kaidan felt a needle slide into his arm and felt the burn of medicine begin to circulate in his body. He felt a gun pressed to his amp as his legs gave out and he knew no more.

* * *

"EDI, what were Kaidan's vitals during the conversation?" Joker asked as soon as Kaidan cut the line. There was no way Kaidan would say half of that in his right mind, and had dropped too many hints that things were wrong.

"Staff Commander Alenko had an elevated heart rate and blood pressure, along with other signs of stress. Also, he mentioned that he was in an Alliance facility, which meant that any official hostage codes could not be used. His erratic behavior does not show up in his files." EDI stated, concerned. "Also, Commander Shepard's continued absence is an indicator of abnormal conditions."

"I know, EDI. It's got me concerned too. Can you call a meeting? We need to do something about this."

"Of course, Jeff. I will let the crew know to report immediately, given the urgency."

* * *

Five minutes later, everyone was assembled in the conference room. Joker stood and informed the rest of the crew of what was happening, showing the footage of Kaidan's interaction.

"There's no way Kaidan would do anything like that. He's wound tight is the phrase I believe you would use," Garrus said, and Miranda nodded.

"Was there any indication of where they were besides on this 'project base'?" Jacob asked.

"There were none, but in the previous transmission, they stated they were heading to an asteroid by the relay," Samara recalled.

"That is correct, Samara. However, there is a large band of asteroids near the relay. It will prove difficult to search for them manually," Thane stated.

"What if we searched for eezo signatures?" Tali piped up. "If they have a base, it would need artificial gravity and life support. That should help narrow down our search."

"What about smashing? I can go in and smash things," Grunt said, stomping one foot in preparation for the fight.

"Alright. So we know for sure that Kaidan and Shepard are stuck on an asteroid and held hostage by Alliance soldiers," Garrus stated loudly, gathering everyone's attention. "We need to look for them. I like Tali's idea of searching for eezo signatures. Anything else we can think of that would narrow down the search?"

"Cerberus did have a tracking device in Shepard's armor. We turned the signal off, but I think might be able to turn it back on if we're in close enough range. That would help with locating her once we're close," Miranda said.

"We will assist you with the task of generating a strong signal," Legion stated.

"Should also watch for shuttles heading into the belt. All creatures need food, water. Soldiers will need to leave asteroid to get them," Mordin announced.

"Good on both counts. EDI, add that to our search parameters and head out for the system. Once we're in, cloak immediately and begin searching," Garrus ordered. "For the rest of you, we need a plan to extract them once we find them. We don't know what kind of defenses they'll have, but we need to anticipate what they might have." The team settled into a long talk while Joker left to pilot the ship.


	8. Rip Van Shepard

Chapter 7: Rip Van Shepard

Shepard seemed to float between consciousness and sleep, and for a moment, she couldn't see why she shouldn't sleep.

"_I was hoping I could have the next dance." Kaidan_. Images of him in Afterlife flooded her mind. _"Hackett wants me to be your Alliance Liaison."_ They had been on a mission for Hackett.

"_Who are you?" Dr. Kenson._ They had broken into a prison on Aratoht and grabbed Dr. Kenson for Hackett. But something had been wrong. Something she couldn't shake. _"Commander Shepard, I give you Object Rho."_ _Harbinger. The Project_. Images of fighting for her life flashed before her eyes, and she remembered everything from the mission. She had to fight. She couldn't feel Harbinger in her mind, which was a relief.

She tried to think of what might be happening when she noticed it: her mind was sluggish. She was never sluggish, not even when she woke up. She was never a morning person, but that was different. She still functioned. This was a thick fog. Someone had to be medicating her. _"We need Shepard."_ Someone was intent on keeping her alive. _"Kill the man if he struggles too much."_ But Kaidan was in grave danger. She had to wake up, and she had to fight.

"…like Shepard was waking up a second ago. But it could be a glitch in the system." Her eyes and mind struggled to remain alert, but the fight to stay awake was quickly becoming easier as Kaidan swam into view. He was on the bed next to her. Shepard didn't see anyone standing near him, which she took to be a positive.

She then turned her head in the other direction and saw a woman standing just beside her. Shepard tried to sit up silently, but a hiss slid out as repairing muscles complained. The assistant, however, remained blissfully unaware. In a few quick strides, Shepard pinned the woman against a nearby wall.

"Don't make a sound or I will hurt you." She hated doing things like this, but she had no option. The woman whimpered once before nodding. "Now I want you to give Alenko the counter-measure to the sedative in his system too."

"H-h-h-he'll w-wake up soon," she pleaded. As if on cue, Kaidan groaned.

"How long until he's fully awake?" She began backing the woman and herself towards Kaidan.

"Ten, maybe fifteen minutes. Please don't hurt me." Shepard turned the scientist to better see her, and could read the fear in her eyes.

"I won't without reason. But if you lie to me or keep me from getting out, you won't leave me with any other choice." Shepard hoped her words were sincere enough to convince the woman to help. "Now, are there any guard patrols around here?"

"Yes. You'll need to work fast to avoid them. They'll be here in ten minutes." The woman nodded, and Shepard couldn't see a lie.

"What's your name?"

"Sarah. Sarah Conroy."

"Alright, Sarah. I need your help with this. I will let you go if you help me get mine and Alenko's armor in here. But you cannot alert anyone else." Sarah seemed to debate for a moment before nodding sharply. Sarah showed Shepard where the armor was and helped her get it back to the medical lab. As Shepard and Sarah put Kaidan's armor on him, Anna was able to get a better look at Kaidan. He didn't look peaceful, and looked like he hadn't had a good meal in at least a day. "How long has it been since he's eaten?"

"He hasn't. I can give him a shot with nutrients, but even then, it won't be enough to get him back to before. You both were badly injured when you got here." Shepard's stomach growled in response. That was why her strength hadn't fully returned by now.

"Do you have any food here?" Sarah nodded and quietly went into a cabinet, bringing back several nutritional bars. Shepard quickly scoffed a few down, saving some for Kaidan, who turned his head to the side, eyelids raising slightly.

"Shepard?" Kaidan's voice came out slowly, laden with sleep, but Anna quickly moved to his side.

At that moment, the doors to the lab opened, and two security guards came in. Shepard quickly killed them, but one managed to sound the alarm before his death. Kaidan slowly sat up as Sarah screamed in pain. Shepard tried to turn, but she was pinned by Sarah before she could fight.

"Stop the voices!" Sarah screamed. "I don't want to! I came here to prove you right!" Sarah's hands were on Shepard's throat, but Shepard could feel water on her face. Sarah was crying. "Kill me!" She screamed, terrified. "Kill me!" A gunshot resounded, and the weight on Shepard's neck was removed as Kaidan pulled her to her feet.

"You ok?" He asked as she took several deep breaths. But Shepard could only stare at Sarah. Kaidan had shown mercy and made it painless, but that didn't resolve the mess of blood on one side of the lab.

"Sarah helped me get your armor on and gave us these food bars. They should help us get to the _Normandy_. We'll have time to talk about her later." It was all she could do to put everything behind a wall for now. Kaidan reached forward to brush Sarah's tears from her face. "They aren't my tears," she stated.

"Then we'll make the Reapers pay," Kaidan answered. "We'll make them pay for everyone they hurt." With that, he ate one of the bars and gestured for them to leave. "Let's head to the Project Controls Kenson keep blathering about. There should be a way to access communications there as well. We can help the _Normandy_ find us." Encouraged, Shepard pulled out her pistol and joined him.

Several rooms later, they arrived at Project Controls. The large room had been well-defended, and it was clear that everyone there was indoctrinated. The pair stepped up to the controls.

"Welcome to Project Control," the VI chirped in greeting.

"I want to activate the Project," Shepard stated while Kaidan guarded her six.

"Warning: Activating the Project will result in an estimated three hundred and five thousand casualties. Do you wish to continue?" _No,_ Shepard thought. But she had no choice. These colonists would be indoctrinated or killed when the Reapers rolled through. But it didn't make her choice easy. She felt a hand on her shoulder, and turned to see Kaidan, his eyes full of sympathy.

"I can say it if you can't. Nobody deserves death from the Reapers. Better to be painless." Shepard's heart swelled with pride as she heard his words. She leaned in and kissed him once, a desperate kiss. Then she turned back to the display and hit the ignition switch for the engines. Outside, the engines came on, moving the asteroid towards certain destruction. The sudden change in momentum threw both soldiers for a second, and they reached for each other. But as they adjusted, their hands went to their weapons. There were bound to be more soldiers headed here soon.

"Project activation in progress. Warning: Collision with mass relay is imminent. Begin evacuation procedures," the VI advised. Shepard snorted. They had no plan, no way to warn anyone. But then Kaidan stepped forward.

"Let me see this. I might be able to get us a channel." His hands moved over the console, manipulating the programs there. "Here, try this." He stepped back to give her a channel off the asteroid. She could easily contact the _Normandy_ with this. But there had to be a chance to warn the colony.

"Alert: All colonist living in the Bahak system: This is –" She started, but the signal went out as easily as it had been pulled up. Kenson's face replaced the interface.

"No! Do you two have any idea what you've done?!" Kenson was furious. "You leave me no choice. If we can't stop this asteroid, it must be destroyed!"

"Tell me where to find Dr. Amanda Kenson," Kaidan ordered the computer.

"Dr. Kenson is traveling to the reactor core," the VI informed them.

"An eezo core meltdown should do it. Because of you, everyone on this rock will be obliterated!" Watching Kenson react to the Project was disturbing for Shepard. Kenson was delusional at best, and she didn't want to think about worst.

"We have to stop her before she can do anything to the core," Kaidan said, and Shepard nodded, turning from the console. They only hoped that they could reach the core fast enough to stop Kenson from destroying the Project and themselves.


	9. Double Trouble

Chapter 8: Double Trouble

The two marines fought through the guards Kenson threw at them, trying to reach the doctor. When they did, she was already at the reactor core.

"Don't try to stop me. I have to do this," Kenson cautioned as they rounded the corner and found her. Shepard shook her head at the ridiculousness of it all.

"We've already activated the Project. We can still escape this rock," Kaidan implored, hoping Kenson could break the hold of indoctrination, even temporarily.

"There is no escape. There is no redemption for what you've done. I will die never having seen the Reaper's blessings. And you two will just die." Kenson was deranged; there was no question anymore. Shepard pointed a gun at the doctor, but couldn't bring herself to pull the trigger. In that moment, Kaidan almost smiled. That was the Anna he knew and loved. She was faced with a maniac, but she never lost her moral center.

"Dammit, Kenson!" Shepard swore as Kenson ran. In an act of frustration, Shepard turned and punched the nearby safety glass. It formed spider-web cracking under the force of her punch, and it was then that Kaidan truly grasped the gravity of what Cerberus did to bring Shepard back. They had kept her mind intact, but had made her body almost invincible. Given the fact that Shepard seemed nonplussed showed that she was used to it, but a glance at him sent a blush up her cheeks. "Um. Bone weaves help with that. Haven't tried punching anything for stress relief lately, but when you can headbutt a Krogan and walk away with just a headache, you stop asking what will happen." _What?_ She seemed to realize the words after they left her mouth. "Umm. Oops?" Kaidan took a calming sigh before he stepped closer to her.

"I don't think there's any way I can change your habits at this point, and you've always been a risk-taker. I suppose I shouldn't be surprised at the stunts you pull outside of parental control." She made a face at him, but the self-conscious blush had vanished, replaced by a mischievous glint. "Just don't go headbutting Krogan anymore. I couldn't stand it if they started thinking you were hot." He had meant it as a joke, but Shepard began shifting uneasily and refusing to meet his gaze. "Shepard," he asked hesitantly.

"We should stabilize the core again." With that, she marched over to a console. "How do I stabilize the reactor core?"

"All automatic safety protocols have been overridden. To stabilize the reactor core, manually reinsert Cooling Rod A at this station and Cooling Rod B at Control Station B," The computer responded, and Shepard grabbed the first Cooling Rod.

"Shepard, is there something I need to know?" Kaidan would not stop pestering her as the VI announced what they were doing to the rest of the asteroid.

"There might have been a breeding request for me once I was done helping Grunt become a member of Urdnot clan. But honestly, I think it was Wrex making a joke." She shouted over the gunfire of more guards trying to block their path to the second control station.

"Why would Wrex make a joke like that?" He asked once they were at the second station.

"How am I supposed to know? You and I both know that Wrex has a strange sense of humor, and he would think something like that was funny." Shepard had a point there, and he conceded that. "If it makes you feel better, I can reaffirm my bond with you back on the SR-2," she whispered in his ear as she inserted the second rod, winking as she turned back to the console. Kaidan shook his head. The woman never gave him a moment's rest.

"Cooling Rod B reinserted. Reactor meltdown averted. Core temperature dropping," the VI informed them. Both took a moment to sigh in relief before the screen was overridden and Dr. Kenson showed up again.

"You've done nothing, Shepard! I can still override power to the engines! Try to stop me!" The hectic glint in her eyes did nothing to sooth either of them. The Reapers were tightening their hold, and it was getting to the doctor.

"Oh I'll be sure to," Shepard muttered as more guards entered the control station. Together, they made short work of anyone who blocked their path to Kenson. As the two stormed into the heart of the core, Kenson didn't even turn, her hands feverishly working at interfaces. "Step away from the reactor." Shepard approached slowly and did not lower her weapon. Kenson still didn't turn to face them.

"You've ruined everything!" She screamed before hitting the console. "I can't hear the whispers anymore." Her voice cracked, and Kaidan saw the pain in her posture. It all made him want to vomit. The Reapers could turn this intelligent agent into an absolute mess, and they didn't even know how long she'd been indoctrinated.

"Turn around. Now," Shepard ordered firmly, and Kaidan knew she was right. Kenson could easily turn and try to kill them.

"You both have taken them away from me. I'll never see the Reaper's arrival." The look in Kenson's eyes as she turned was dangerous, and Kaidan quickly checked all the entrances into the room, looking for more guards trying to attack them. But what she did was more worrying than that: she held up the trigger for a bomb. They had no clue where the bomb was or how powerful it was. She'd had all the time she needed to set it up. Shepard glanced at him, and he knew the silent question in her eyes: do I shoot her? It would have been easy to just nod or even shoot her himself. But they had no idea about how large the explosion radius would be. For all they knew, it could take out the VI, rendering the Project inoperable. They had to try to talk Kenson down. Kaidan shook his head the smallest amount. "All you had to do was stay asleep. None of this had to happen."

"Kenson, you don't have to do this. We can still get off this asteroid," Shepard pleaded. Kaidan didn't know if he believed in Ash's god, not after all of the pain he had seen, but he prayed that Kenson would back down. Neither of them would enjoy gunning down the scientist, even if she was mad.

"No," Kenson replied, her voice deadened. "We cannot." With that, she pressed the button. Before Kaidan could take a step towards Shepard, she biotically pushed him back. That was when the explosion hit, tossing both of them backwards.

Kaidan had hit the wall hard. He knew that much. He also knew that he was in pain. That pain was in the same spots as two days earlier. Obviously, the medical officer there had done little more than put stitches in him, which had now reopened. The medical interface in his suit flashed warnings at him and put medigel where it was needed. It wasn't until Kaidan was struggling to get up that he realized something: Shepard hadn't come to help him. He began to fight harder to get up and look towards the core. When he did, he saw Shepard sprawled motionless on the floor. As he hobbled forward, mindful of his injuries, he ran a scan of her hardsuit. She was unconscious and in the same situation as Kaidan, with several injuries reopened. He gently applied medigel to an open wound on her head while her suit covered the rest. But now he had a problem: he wasn't sure if he could carry her without doing further damage. They had to get off the asteroid and rendezvous with the _Normandy_ ASAP. Kaidan hobbled to the nearest working console.

"Computer, are the communications operational?"

"No. That system has been damaged. Given the status of the Project, evacuation protocols are now in effect. All personnel should report to the escape shuttles." That was exactly what he needed: an easy escape from this rock. Plus, the shuttle would have a separate communication system he could use to contact the _Normandy_.

"Where can I find an escape shuttle?"

"Take the lift from this room to the external access. From there, proceed to the communications tower. The escape shuttles will be located on the tower's landing pad." Kaidan nodded absently, looking at Shepard. He had no way of knowing when she would wake, and if the rest of the base knew about the evacuation, there wasn't time to wait. So Kaidan shuffled over to Shepard and used his biotics to pull her up into the air. From there, he situated her weight to avoid both of their injuries as much as possible. His injuries stabbed at him in protest, but Kaidan gave them no room for argument. They were getting off of this rock. Now.


	10. All the Cronies in the Galaxy

Chapter 9: All the Cronies in the Galaxy Can't Buy Me Loyalty

Kaidan made his way from the elevator onto the roof. He had an old friend in the Alliance who was an Infiltrator. That same friend had bragged when he received a tactical cloak from the Alliance for some of his missions. Kaidan would easily kill for one of those cloaks now, but he had seen nothing on the way up. Though the fact that there were a limited number of shuttles didn't allow him to go searching through crates. Kaidan hated the train of morbid thought, but he and Shepard had killed a decent number of soldiers. Surely that would mean that there was a spare shuttle or two. All he needed was one. But for now, he would make do with sneaking behind groups of crates. Fortunately, most were distracted by the evacuation protocols. Kaidan managed to sneak up towards the landing platform when he saw several shuttles take off at once.

"Those were all the shuttles!" One man shouted.

"They left us behind!" A woman screamed in dismay.

"We would've made it in time if you hadn't tripped!" Another man shouted, and Kaidan knew that being caught would give those people an outlet for their anger. It also meant that the _Normandy_ was their only way of getting out of the system. After several agonizing minutes, Kaidan finally got both of them to the communications array without detection. Less than a minute later, Kaidan had wired a comm that would announce their presence but hopefully get the _Normandy's_ attention.

* * *

"Alenko to Normandy. Joker, you'd better not be taking a coffee break, because we need an extraction now." Shepard heard Kaidan's voice through a haze. Her ears were ringing, and she could feel a migraine press against her skull. She let out a groan in response. "Can you open your eyes?" She could tell that his mouth was almost pressed against her ear, trying to whisper. It was a struggle, but she finally did so.

"Hey, how the hell could comms get off this rock? Only the boss could do that!" Shepard couldn't identify the voice, but from what it said, she guessed that she didn't want to meet the owner.

"Someone must have hacked the tower!" Another shouted, and Shepard felt adrenaline enter her system as Kaidan tensed beside her. "Send out the mechs! That'll take care of any intruders!" Shepard felt the ground shake beneath her as a mech began to pound across the outside of the asteroid. But before she could grab her weapon, Kaidan popped out of cover, overloading its shields before firing on its armor. As she watched, he seemed totally in control of the situation, something she wasn't sure the Alenko that served on the SR-1 could have done. But a second set of thuds warned her of company. She peeked out of cover to see a second mech advancing. So Shepard did the only thing she could think of: she copied several of Kaidan's tactics on the second mech. The only unfortunate thing was that her biotic attacks weren't as effective as normal, leaving the mech stronger than she wanted. But just as she popped out of cover again, a familiar shuttle landed on the roof. Jacob, Miranda, and Grunt all leapt out of the shuttle and began slaughtering anything left on the roof.

"Glad you left us something to shoot, Shepard. Grunt was itching for a fight." Shepard had never been so glad to hear Taylor on her comm.

"We're the extraction team. The _Normandy's_ ready to jump out as soon as we're on board," Miranda stated as she offered a hand up and a shoulder to rest on. A quick glance showed that Taylor was helping Kaidan to the shuttle as well while Grunt guarded their entry. But before they turned, Shepard saw an image of Harbinger appear on the interface, and she motioned for Miranda to stop.

"Shepard. You have become an annoyance." Miranda's posture stiffened, and Shepard reached for her gun again. "You fight against inevitability. Dust struggling against cosmic winds."

"Excuse me, but last time I looked, you were the one who was losing. Your 'Vanguard of Destruction' and your minion slave race have both been eliminated. Our destruction is not inevitable; yours _is_." Kaidan was suddenly in front of her, staring down the now oversized projection as if it were another merc. Shepard had never been more surprised or humbled. Part of her guessed that he was also bluffing, but part of her wanted to believe that victory really was within reach. It had to be, or else everything she had done would be for nothing.

"This seems a victory to you. A star system sacrificed. But even now, your greatest civilizations are doomed to fall. Your leaders will beg to be harvested." If it were possible, Harbinger seemed to be sneering at them.

"Maybe you're right. Maybe we can't win this. But we'll fight you regardless, just like we did Sovereign. Just like we're doing now." Jacob had stepped beside Kaidan, and Shepard felt her heart swell with pride.

"However 'insignificant' we might be, we will fight, we will sacrifice, and we will find a way. It's what humanity does," Lawson affirmed, and Shepard could almost feel Harbinger's rage. It couldn't stand the fact that it no longer scared them. The people beside her were what mattered in the fight against the Reapers. She wasn't alone. And as long as that was true, she could beat them.

"Know this as you die in vain: your time will come. Your species will fall. Prepare yourselves for the Arrival." After his final statement, Harbinger faded into nothingness and the group turned back to the shuttle.

"Took you long enough. Or do you just enjoy letting your CO sweat?" Shepard threw a grin at the others as they hobbled away.

"Neither. It's a long explanation, so it's best saved for once you're back on the ship," Jacob articulated as they all sat down in the shuttle.

"Did you see me take down that mech by myself Shepard?" Grunt seemed particularly pleased with himself, and Shepard had to grin.

"I softened it for you," she replied, and Grunt seemed to wiggle in frustration.

"That's why it was easy. I told you to leave the mechs for me to have fun with."

"Have fun with?" Kaidan asked hesitantly.

"You humans don't understand fun. It isn't fun until someone almost loses consciousness." Kaidan shot her a look across the shuttle as Grunt grinned.

"This is the young Krogan you helped gain cultural awareness?" Doubt dripped from his words, and Shepard straightened in defense.

"That was Okeer's doing. And the violence is just part of Krogan culture. It's the tradition and purpose behind the violence that matters," Shepard stated, waving her hand as if to brush off trivial details.

"But the killing is good too," Grunt piped up, and Shepard smiled lopsidedly at her young Krogan while Kaidan sighed in exasperation.

"Well, in typical fashion, you've managed to make quite the amount of work for Dr. Chakwas," Miranda announced as she finished running her omni-tool over Shepard. "And I doubt that you're any better for this excursion." Kaidan maintained polite silence with the former Cerberus operative. "So what kept the two of you in the same building as a Reaper artifact for two days?"

"Dr. Kenson threw most of her troops at us and sedated us for almost two days." That seemed to shut Miranda up; though, given her glance at Jacob, they seemed to have guessed a hostage-type situation.

"Who's flying the shuttle, anyways?" Shepard finally asked, curious that nobody had stepped into the front half of the shuttle.

"Our assistance was requested, given our shortened reaction time and superior navigation capabilities. Your EDI is also assisting and has informed your Dr. Chakwas about the medical procedures you require to repair your subroutines," Legion informed them all from the pilot's seat. Kaidan was silent at this statement, but gave Shepard a meaningful look, to which Shepard could only respond with a sheepish shrug.

"You just enjoy collecting an eclectic crew, don't you?" He finally asked.

"Confusing and annoying the higher ups has its perks too. But that's only a secondary motivation. The primary motivation is the interesting jokes that crop up." The shuttle experienced a series of jerks as it entered the artificial gravity of the _Normandy's_ hanger and Joker pulled the ship through the relay before its explosion. But most of those jerks went unnoticed by its crew as they helped Shepard and Alenko into the medbay.


	11. Quite A Mess of Things

Chapter 10: Quite a Mess of Things

Shepard groggily opened her eyes, hearing several voices at once. In the few seconds it took her to remember where she was and what had happened, she had partially sat up, felt pain in several areas and restriction in her left arm, winced, and been firmly pushed back onto the bed.

"Shepard, you shouldn't try to move yet," Miranda chided, but Shepard still made a small effort to sit up. "Also, your arm is in a brace, so it's in your best interest to keep it still."

"I agree with Operative Lawson. It is best for your body to fully heal before you attempt strenuous physical activity. Most soldiers would not have survived most of the traumas you have," EDI added, and it was then that Shepard realized she didn't see Kaidan. She was in her cabin with Garrus, Tali, and Miranda, but that was it.

"Dr. Chakwas is still patching Kaidan up. He was pretty beat up when you two stumbled into med-bay. But she has full confidence that he'll make a full recovery," Garrus assured her, and Shepard felt her heart slowly stop pounding. "And I thought you said it would be another hour before she woke from the sedatives."

"I told you _roughly_ three hours. I wasn't sure exactly, and I honestly expected her to wake up before then. The nanoprobes that kept her alive on Omega are also working to keep her body uninhibited now. Combine that with her biotics, and she burns through anything quickly. With time, her resistance may lower, but that's only a theory at this point." Miranda spoke calmly but firmly before turning her attention back to Shepard. "Normally, I would just sedate you again to make sure that you don't strain yourself, but I'm going to trust you to behave for a few hours. I want to save giving you a sedative for if I absolutely need to." Shepard nodded, knowing Miranda had a valid point here, not to mention the truth that she didn't want to be sedated again.

"May I sit up?" She finally asked.

"In another hour, but not just yet." Shepard sighed in exasperation, felt her body react to that little effort, and decided Miranda's judgment was for the best.

"So what happened while I wasn't here? How did you manage to pick us up so quickly?" Shepard asked, quietly glad that her friends all moved chairs near her bed so she could see them easily.

"We got suspicious after three hours. There was no way you would go that long on an Alliance outpost without contact. The only reason would be someone keeping you from contacting us," Garrus started. "That was when Joker started attempting to contact the station through large-area signals. All of our hails were ignored except for one, where we were given a bullshit answer that you were in a meeting with Dr. Kenson. Two hours later, Kaidan finally spoke with Joker, but everything he said quietly convinced us that you were being held against your will."

"At that point, we knew we'd have to figure out where you were and why you couldn't leave. So we started a search pattern near the relay, using Alliance codes and several other methods to narrow down our search for the two of you," Tali explained. "After that, we had EDI and Legion quietly hack the network to find out what was going on. That was when they discovered the data about that artifact."

"We weren't sure about what you would do, but if you decided to put the Project into motion, we wanted to be ready to help you. So we got in contact with Liara, who made some arrangements with the Batarian government to start evacuating the system immediately," Miranda stated, and hope soared in Shepard's gut.

"How many were you able to evacuate?" Shepard's voice came out a shaky whisper, barely holding onto the hope that someone else had made it out of the system alive.

"Roughly half of the system," Miranda replied with pride. Shepard let a laugh escape through her lips. She was still upset at the sacrifice she was forced to make, but at least her crew had been able to save someone. "There is a problem, though."

"What is it?" Her voice no longer shook. Of course there was a problem, but she could handle it now.

"Liara informed us that the _Normandy_ was spotted by several of the evacuation ships. The Hegemony is starting to think that we had something to do with the system explosion. They'll be out for blood, especially yours and the Staff Commander." The weight of Miranda's words settled on Shepard, and she thought for a few minutes before she answered. She knew that Kaidan would be angry with her for this, but it was necessary.

"EDI, have Legion help you erase all traces of the Alliance and Staff Commander Alenko. I did the mission alone. Kaidan was never on this ship."

"Then how would we have gotten this mission in the first place?" Tali prompted, but Shepard already had an answer.

"I paid an information broker, Liara T'Soni, for information about anyone looking into the Reapers. I was trying to make a case for the Council. She told me about a group of scientists led by Dr. Kenson, a rogue Alliance member, who were studying a possible Reaper artifact. I went to see what was going on when I found out that Dr. Kenson was captured by Batarians. I helped her escape from the prison and asked her what was happening. She took me to her base and explained the Project. From there, I was kidnapped and sedated for two days. I escaped that asteroid by the skin of my teeth, and I alone was the one who activated the Project. Dr. Kenson and the other scientists were indoctrinated by the time I arrived." Shepard paused for a moment to catch her breath, trying to see if there were any holes in her story. "That's what happened. I acted alone. No one else is to blame."

"Shepard, if you do that, the entire Hegemony will be out for your blood," Garrus warned, concern in his voice.

"They already are. But if I can keep the rest of this crew from getting sucked in, I will." They couldn't dissuade her now.

"This is an Alliance issue. Admiral Hackett brought you out here to check on an Alliance mission that went rogue. You shouldn't have to take the fall for their mistakes," Miranda argued, but Shepard shook her head.

"I gave the galaxy a few months to a few years. We need to work on alliances while we still can. If the Hegemony can be one of those alliances, then that's all the better. But we can't afford to have in-fighting or wars going on when the Reapers hit. That's why I'll need the two of you," she pointed at Garrus and Tali, "to go back to your homeworlds. I need you both fighting for your species. I don't believe we're the only ones who know about the Reapers anymore. Do whatever you can to prepare your species. Hopefully I can ask Legion, Thane, Samara, and Grunt to do the same."

"If the Alliance or the Batarians try to take you, we can always go rogue. If they take you in, you know that no one will listen to you," Garrus warned, but Shepard shook her head again. As much as it pained her, she had to do this.

"Then the rest of you will need to make them listen. If they won't listen to me, make them listen to you. Someone has to tell them. It doesn't have to be me."

"Commander," EDI interrupted. "Would you like to keep the data of the _Normandy_ contacting Liara to inform her of the Project?"

"If it's possible, yes."

"There is one large flaw in our data trail: someone had to speak with Joker from the Project Base. If you were the only one there, it must be you. I can make the recording audio only, but I would need you to speak several lines. I am sending them to your data pad now. I can record your audio whenever you wish." Shepard pulled up her omni-tool and saw the lines EDI prepared for her.

"Do I need to sit up to say them?" She asked quietly, fully resigning herself to the trial that would come solely on her head.

"No. If Garrus will help you put your helmet on, I can record them through your suit's comm system, making the recording more believable." Shepard nodded and looked at Garrus, who walked out of her vision to grab her helmet. With Garrus and Miranda helping, she eased her helmet on, bringing her omni-tool into her field of vision.

"I will not terminate my connection with you until I speak with my CO!" Joker all but shouted, clearly pissed.

"Glad to hear that you at least obey my orders, Flight Lieutenant," Shepard responded. She quietly hoped that she would sound convincing enough for the court marshal.

"Shepard, where the hell have you been? It took me this long just to get a hold of you. What's this all-important meeting been about?" Hearing the concern in Joker's voice, she knew he wasn't acting. They had been that concerned about her.

"I'm at Project Base, like I said I would be. And you know that information is classified. But how long has it been? I haven't checked my 'tool since we were getting off of Aratoht."

"Sorry, boss." Joker's tone had a casual flippancy that they both knew was fake, and he had never called her that before. That would have to be his signal that he knew something was wrong. "It's been a little over eight hours since our last radio contact. May I ask why you've stayed there so long?"

"I have some data crunching that I'm assisting Dr. Kenson with. It may prove to be the information I'm looking for."

"Well either way, do you know how much longer you'll be staying? We need to make a supply run, and wanted to know if we have enough time to do so, with your permission, ma'am."

"However long it takes to get this data. And I'm surprised you didn't ask Lawson for permission. You know that she's next on the command chain."

"Just figured I'd ask while I'm here."

"Go ahead, Flight Lieutenant. I'm not going anywhere. Now I'm going to head back to my calibrations. Project Base out." Shepard relaxed as she spoke her last line.

"Roger that. I'll wait for your request to leave the asteroid. _Normandy_ out." With that, Shepard shut off her comm, and Garrus helped her ease out of the helmet.

"Now, there are still a few things to do before we can rendezvous with Admiral Hackett," Shepard stated, and the three turned to listen to her.


	12. Is All Well That Ends Well?

Chapter 11: Is All Well That Ends Well?

Kaidan heard the mebay doors whoosh open, and was grateful that the migraine was nearly gone. During a normal migraine, the sound would have been enough to make him wince. This migraine had been so bad, Dr. Chakwas sedated him for the worst of it. Now, Kaidan cracked his eyes open carefully to see Shepard and Miranda creep quietly towards him with three large plates of food. He also noticed Shepard's arm in a cast. Kaidan moved to gently sit up, when Miranda reached him.

"Is this too loud for you?" Kaidan shook his head, and Miranda nodded. She then pressed a button and his bed moved to sit up for him. Over Miranda's shoulder, Kaidan could see Shepard bring some tables over.

"The food should help finish the last of the migraine. Apparently, there's a difference between having the necessary nutrients in your veins and eating all the things your amp consumes," Shepard softly stated as she set a plate of pasta in front of him. The smell alone set his mouth watering and his stomach growling. Without any more ceremony, Kaidan grabbed fork and started shoveling food into his mouth. Shepard chuckled and copied his movements. "My sentiments exactly." They swapped a grin as they continued to eat.

"So," Kaidan started once all three plates had been emptied, "wonder what Hackett's reaction is going to be." At that comment, he saw Shepard and Miranda swap a meaningful gaze. "Why do I think that look means you've already figured out everything?"

"Because she already has," Miranda stated before she stood and walked into the back half of the medbay. Kaidan immediately took that as a bad omen.

"Can I ask what the first Human Spectre has done?" He asked once he was sure they had privacy. Something told him that he really wouldn't like Shepard's answer, but he couldn't sit here and not ask.

"The Alliance was never involved in this. All traces of the Alliance have been erased from the _Normandy_'s data banks," Shepard answered sadly, but she turned a half smile towards him anyways. But if the Alliance wasn't involved …

"What about Dr. Kenson?"

"I'm putting out false data that she went rogue. If there is any Alliance equipment that survived, it's equipment she stole." Kaidan sighed heavily as he realized his next question.

"What about me?" He slipped his hand into hers, and she squeezed it.

"You were never here. You never helped me. I never saw this gun." She pressed the silenced pistol he gave her into his hands, and a part of him felt his heart break. He knew what her answers meant, and he wasn't sure if his pain was out of sadness or anger.

"Shepard, how do you think you can do this alone? The Batarians will be out for your blood and they will not accept anything except you on Kar'Shan in a prison where they can take all of their anger for humanity out on you! How are you supposed to help the Alliance from there? How am I supposed to help you get out of that!?" Kaidan hadn't realized that he was shouting, but suddenly he was, angry and hurt and wanting nothing more than to protect her. A single tear slid down her cheek as she quietly answered.

"The Alliance will have to bring me to trial. You would be a character witness. You and Hackett and Anderson can prove that I never defected. You've been gathering all of my intel on Cerberus. It has to count for something. But if they drag you into it, they'll have your career, and they'll call your sanity into question." She slowly slid into his arms, and he held her tightly as she whispered her plan. For a minute, he simply held her, wishing the past two and a half days had never happened.

"And what if the Alliance finds you guilty?" He finally asked, unable to stop himself. He knew she would have a backup plan.

"Then I run. I'll still be a Spectre. Garrus and Joker already have a plan of taking the _Normandy_ back and running."

"Then I'll be at your side when you run. If they find you guilty, I won't stand by and let them slaughter your character." She sat up and stared him in the eye, shaking her head.

"You can't. I need someone in the Alliance. The Reapers are coming and I need someone I trust to call the Alliance cavalry charge," she implored, placing a hand on his chest.

"No," he shook his head. "Let the Admirals handle the Alliance. My place is at your side. I couldn't before because of Cerberus. But you're not with them anymore. And as long as you aren't, I'm with you." He placed his hand on her chest, over her heart, hoping she would understand all that he was trying to say. He loved her. He always had. "Death took you from me once. But I won't let it have a chance to separate us again." Gently grabbing her shirt, he pulled her forward until they were inches from each other before kissing her.

"There's nothing I would love more than to walk into my cabin every night and find you there. There's no one I trust more with my six. If I'm walking into hell, I want Garrus at my side and you at my six because you can always find me a way out. But as long as they can still find me innocent, I want my way out to be paved clearly in the Alliance. And if worse comes to worst, an insider can help us get out faster. Does that make my thoughts clearer?" He was honored that he would trust her like that, and it did help make her method clearer. But that didn't make stepping away from her any easier.

"I know you're right. At least we had this one last mission together before the Reapers hit. I'll be with the Alliance on Earth to defend your name. But I will promise you one more thing: when the Reapers hit, I will fight with you. And no one will separate us." She stared into his eyes for a minute after his declaration before she smiled. And in that smile, he saw hope.

"So, want me to fill you in on what the story is now?" He nodded and moved to one side of the bed so she could sit next to him. She took the offered spot and waited for him to get comfortable before she started talking.

* * *

"Shepard, what the hell is this report?" Hackett was pacing the medbay floor in front of them, distinctly pissed.

"The Batarians are out for blood, aren't they?" Shepard fired back, her back ramrod straight. Hackett sighed, refusing to look her in the eyes for a moment.

"I won't lie; they are. They want your head on a pike, but I'll do everything in my power to keep that from happening. It'll mean that you need to lay low for a while, but I can make it happen."

"Then you need to make sure that the Alliance's name isn't involved in this. So I acted alone against a group of rogue scientists. Kaidan never assisted me, and you never told me where they were." Hackett's pain was obvious, but after a hard stare at Shepard, he nodded.

"They don't make soldiers like you anymore, Shepard." He placed a hand on her uninjured shoulder. "I'll make it so that we suspected some of our scientists, including Dr. Kenson, went rogue. I'll also place paperwork stating that Alenko was chasing them down in another system. We'll keep the worst of the trial from coming on your head, but we have to placate the Batarians. In the meantime, we'll shore up our defenses and do what we can to prepare." He looked at Kaidan. "What's your take on all this?"

"I didn't have much of a say in the matter, Admiral. Most of this work was done by the time I recovered from surgery. That doesn't mean it fully caught me off guard. Her logic is sound, though I don't like the idea of burning her at the stake." He stated as professionally as possible.

"If I have anything to say about it, it'll be all smoke and no flames. Once you get your crew settled, I'll assign you a body guard and an escort ship back to Earth, with Staff Commander Alenko in charge of overseeing your return. We won't let anyone take a crack shot at you." Shepard took a deep breath, and Kaidan could tell she was steeling herself to agree.

"My crew will be settled in five days. Where should I meet you, Admiral?"

"I'll have Alenko forward you the coordinates. It'll be in neutral territory bordering the Terminus."

"There is one other thing, sir." Kaidan said. "There were several shuttles that escaped the asteroid containing indoctrinated scientists from the Project. They may try to rejoin the Alliance as sleeper agents for the Reapers, or they may try to make trouble somewhere else."

"I have a list of scientists that the Alliance sent. I'll make sure we put out a search for those individuals. They will be labeled rouge defectors and dealt with swiftly. I hate to say it, but I'll see if I can get any of your heat transferred to them, Shepard. They're already lost."

"I –" This was one of the few times Kaidan had heard Shepard stutter. She would slow down to elucidate her thoughts, enunciate to make sure her message was clear, but rarely stutter. "I'm not quite sure what to say, sir. I appreciate what you're doing for me."

"No, Shepard. We appreciate what you have done for us. We'll do what we can for you in return." Hackett squeezed her shoulder once more. "Here are the coordinates for where you can drop Alenko. We'll come by to pick him up in two days, so make sure he's there. With that, I have work I need to do. I'm taking a copy of this to know what to navigate around and what to support. This will disappear once I'm done with it." He took the datapad and slid it into his jacket before he nodded at both soldiers, who saluted, and left the medbay.

"Looks like you have a date to keep," Shepard finally said.

"At least this time, I know when I'll see you again," he quipped. He didn't know what else to say. Scratch that, he did. "When my ship comes for you, I'll spend most of my time here. I'll let your crew run things whenever I can." He sighed. This would be the most difficult to say. "I'll let you be as free as possible, but we both know –"

"That we have appearances to keep. I do know. But knowing that you'll help make the transition easy for my crew is more than I can say." She rested a hand on his shoulder, and he brought her head close so that their foreheads touched. "We should speak to the crew, explain things to them. I have to set everything up quickly and make sure that I squeeze you in there." She dropped her voice to a whisper. "But know that I will miss you." He knew exactly how she felt. He missed her already, so he wrapped his arms around her waist, pulling her close to feel her skin, her weight next to him.

"Come on, let's go set things right with the crew."


	13. All For Want of Beans

Chapter 12: All For the Want of Beans

The majority of the crew had assembled into the mess hall, and EDI made sure that comms reached anyone who was currently working. The ground team was assembled in the ready room, and Kaidan stood by her side. She needed the crew to see him once more before they dropped him off. They needed to trust him.

"You all know that Admiral Hackett of the Alliance was recently on this ship, you know that the mission went poorly, and you all read the debriefing that I sent you. The Batarians aren't pleased with what happened, and if this ship doesn't find safe harbor, it will be attacked by Batarian vessels." She paused and took a breath. "So I've arranged with Admiral Hackett to turn myself and this ship over to the Alliance." Several of the crew began to murmur amongst themselves. "But I will not force you to come with me. If there is anyone who does not want to return to Earth and the Alliance, we will drop you off at Illium with your paycheck. From there, you can speak with one of my contacts to arrange transportation. However, I will need each crew member to inform me of his or her decision within twenty four hours.

"There is one last item of business: if you intend on staying here, the ship will be escorted back to Earth by an Alliance ship. Staff Commander Alenko will be in charge of integrating the _Normandy_'s remaining crew and ensuring that Alliance protocol is established on this vessel. You will treat him with all the respect his position is due." Several of the crew looked at Kaidan with renewed interest. "Now I need to speak to my ground team. Thank you all for your service and loyalty." With that, they walked into the elevator and up to the ready room.

"Well shit Shepard, I'm out. You may want to be Queen of the Girl Scouts, but I have no intention of heading there." Shepard wasn't surprised by Jack's response.

"Not sure what the Alliance would want with any non-human crew beyond intelligence gathering and affirmation of character. Will stay on to affirm character if you wish it, Shepard," Mordin stated, but Shepard held her hand up for silence.

"I actually have a special request for my ground team. Most of you aren't human, so I'll address you first. I would request that you head to your homeworlds." Most of the crew looked at each other quizzically. "I know this isn't an easy request, but if the Alliance tries to bury the Reaper threat, I need you to speak up, to try to improve every race's response to the Reapers. They will be here eventually. I'll try to convince the Council and the Alliance, but I can't convince the galaxy on my own. So I'm asking you to help me." Mordin and Grunt nodded, and Shepard let out a breath. "As for my human crew, I know that some of you won't wish to join the Alliance. If you don't, I ask that you try to find allies wherever you can. We'll need everyone united when the Reapers hit. You're some of the finest crew I've had the honor to serve with, and I'm damn proud of what we've done here." Her words hung in the air for a few moments before Miranda spoke.

"I have several contacts from before and during my time with Cerberus. I'll see what I can get started while you're dealing with the Council." Shepard smiled at the operative in gratitude.

"I believe I can also speak with Asari High Command," Samara offered. "There are several there who can be convinced of the Reaper threat, as well as many Justicars. I will attempt to prepare the Asari as best as I can. The Code sees your preparation as the best way to prevent casualties in this war. I will listen for news of your trial while I am in Asari space."

"You sure as hell know that we'll do everything we can, Shepard. You go and convince the Alliance to wake up and smell the coffee as you say it. We've got things from here." Shepard all but beamed at her XO. She couldn't have dreamed that a crew of misfits would become so loyal. But here they were, and she couldn't be more grateful.

"Very well. I'm sure you all have arrangements you need to make. Dismissed. I'll be in my cabin if anyone needs me." With that, Shepard and Kaidan left the ready room, and in the safety of her cabin, held each other. Times like this would be rare, but hopefully worth it.

* * *

Shepard stood on the bridge of her ship five days later, facing Kaidan. He had approached on an Alliance ship, and assigned a handful of Alliance workers to the SR-2 to help smooth the lines between Alliance and rogue. But she hadn't expected the large, well-built marine that stood beside Kaidan.

"Commander Annalisa Shepard, you are under arrest by order of the Alliance Admiralty Board. You've been charged with desertion and the murder of 170 thousand Batarians. You, your ship, and its crew will be confiscated and brought to Earth for inspection and a court marshal trial. You will spend the duration of the trip back in the _Normandy_'s brig. I will serve as the Commanding Officer of this vessel in the meantime. If you resist arrest, you will be held in contempt of the Board and immediately charged guilty of treason. Do you understand these terms?" The look in his eyes was deathly grave, but she knew it was out of necessity. They both knew this was wrong, but there was no other option.

"I do," she answered, her back straight and her voice unwavering.

"Do you have anything else to say?"

"I ask for pardons for my crew. They are not guilty of murder and wish to join the Alliance to prepare for an imminent Reaper invasion."

"I do not have the authority to pardon your crew, but once we reach Earth, your request will be processed by the Admiralty Board. They will then decide if your crew can be integrated into the Alliance. For now, we do not have enough technicians who are familiar with this ship to fly her back ourselves. But if your crew causes trouble, then they will be placed under arrest as well." Shepard nodded. Apparently Anderson wasn't able to get pardons for the crew ahead of time. Hopefully the crew wouldn't be treated too harshly. With that, he turned her around and handcuffed her. The cuffs weren't uncomfortable and mostly for show, but they were unexpected.

"Staff Commander, she won't resist you. Is there a need to cuff her? She saved the Alliance from the Collectors –" Jeff stood up and took a few steps towards them.

"Flight Lieutenant, go back to your post. They need you to fly this thing. And I won't have a rookie scratch the paint going through a mass relay," she warned Jeff. Nobody liked the situation, but he didn't need to start a fight. For his part, Kaidan and the large man said nothing.

"Very well, ma'am," Jeff answered quietly and went back to his chair. From there, Kaidan escorted her to the elevator and down by engineering to the 'brig', a cleaned-out and more fortified version of Grunt's quarters. The large marine also followed them until they were in the brig. Once she was there, Kaidan turned and scanned the entire room.

"We're safe here. There's nothing I can find," Kaidan said as he quickly crossed the room and undid her cuffs. Shepard gratefully sighed, but shot the strange marine a glance. "Vega," Kaidan turned and addressed the marine, "everything in this room is top secret. Not a single word about anything that happens here, by order of Councilor Anderson and Admiral Hackett. Do I make myself clear?"

"Sir, yes sir." Vega responded with a salute. Kaidan finally relaxed and rested a hand on her shoulder, while Shepard continued to give him a confused look.

"Lieutenant James Vega is your unofficial bodyguard on our trip back to Earth and through whatever happens. Anderson thought it was best for you to have some protection. I'm so sorry about up there. You know I would never want to do that to you," his voice dropped at the last bit, and she saw nothing but hurt and truth in his face. In the background, she noticed James shift awkwardly.

"I know. This is how things have to be. But it'll work out in the end. It has to. Anderson wasn't able to work out pardons for the crew?" She asked, and Kaidan straightened, using the change of subject to calm himself.

"No. The Admirals are still skittish about pardoning a crew of Cerberus workers, but they won't be tried as criminals. The Alliance also needs people who are familiar with the ship, so they'll be lenient. Your people will be watched, but they won't be harmed." With that, Shepard felt a weight come off her shoulders.

"Commander," Vega hesitantly called out. From his posture, she would guess that he had a softer, more docile side than the muscles lead anyone to believe. She turned to his direction. "I just wanted to say that I'm honored to guard you. No one will get past me. I know that everyone has tried to dismiss the Reapers, but they're all _pendejos_, idiots, for not listening to you. I saw the Collectors in action, and the Admirals should be grateful for what you've done."

"Glad to know Anderson has good taste in bodyguards. But if anyone gets close enough, I think I can defend myself. Unless the Admirals have demanded my amp taken away." At the serious look from Kaidan, she knew she was right. "And they have. Go ahead, I trust you." Kaidan gave a stiff smile before he walked behind her.

Taking the amp wouldn't hurt too much, but she tried to relax. The jolt of biotics kicking out was never pleasant and always took a few moments to get used to. In that time, biotics were very vulnerable to outside attacks. But she trusted Kaidan more than anyone to do this. He placed one hand on her amp, and she took another deep breath as she closed her eyes. The jolt was more unpleasant than she had expected, given her stronger biotics, and she felt like a rag doll, her muscles suddenly weakened as they adjusted to the neural interference. She felt everything slow down as the world swirled before Kaidan's face swam into view again.

"Can you hear me now?" His voice sounded far off, but she tried to focus on him. "Come on, Shepard." His shake was probably gentle, but the world began to tilt again, and she grabbed him for stability. As the world righted itself, she finally realized the concern and poorly veiled fear on his face. "Scare me, why don't you?" She gave a vague grin in return before trying to slowly sit up. That was when she realized how they looked. They were on the floor, one arm supporting her back, holding it off the floor while the other hand supported her head. She could feel the heat from his body, and his face was close enough now that they could kiss if they wanted to. "Have you been deamped since you got this one?" He asked gently, staying where they were.

"Not when I was conscious. Sometimes Chakwas had to take it out for a surgery, but she took it while I was out and put it back before I woke." She frowned as she realized that deamping had never garnered a reaction that strong. Kaidan was frowning as well.

"I guess getting stronger biotics and amps from Cerberus generates a stronger reaction to removing the amp. You put out some sparks and would have given yourself a good bump on the head if I hadn't caught you. Can you sit on your own? I need to put your amp in a safe spot."

"If you tell me how to hold it and where to put it, I can do it, Blue." Vega offered. "You, ah, look like you've got your hands full." Vega quietly crossed over to them and took the amp.

"Blue," Shepard asked as she heard Vega's boots walk away.

"Sometimes people don't match their names. So I just give 'em a new one. I've seen him fight, and he's just a blur of blue." Kaidan's lips quirked up in response to the tale as he lifted her gently and moved her back against a wall. But they took the momentary close contact for an embrace, and Shepard smiled as she smelled his aftershave.

"I have to go back to the bridge and take care of the crew settling in. But I'll have Gardner bring down a meal soon. And I don't see anything wrong with him bringing down some light reading for you. I may come down for some myself." They smiled at each other. Hopefully they could get moments to talk that way.

"Actually, sir, I was thinking I could get updates on our movements daily. I would like to know where we are and if anything of note occurs. You could just give me a datapad with the details." Vega smiled sheepishly at them, strange to see on someone his size. Now it seemed that Shepard's bodyguard was a softie. And if his behavior was any indication, their secret was safe with him.

"I think I can do that, Lieutenant. Now if you both will excuse me, I'll head back to the bridge." Kaidan stood, checked that the amp was properly secured, and walked out of the brig.

"So, have you ever played Skillian Five?" Vega dragged two chairs over to her before pulling out a pack of cards. Shepard almost smiled, but instead gave a shrug.

"I haven't played in a while, so go easy on me, will you?" Vega chuckled as he shuffled the cards.

"Oh, you are in trouble Commander. I've been doing this too much lately. I might not be able to," Vega answered with confidence.

"One condition to these games: we play for jelly beans made on Earth. They're something of a weakness," Shepard confessed, and secretly knew she'd be able to indulge back on Earth if the games went the way she planned.

* * *

Two months had gone by, and given the intel she'd received from James, her gambit had worked. Liara had been able to smuggle in an untraceable communication device, allowing her to know what was going on. Liara was in the Sol System, but wouldn't specify where. The crew had been accepted back into the Alliance, and she had been able to keep some communication with most of her ground team. She had been particularly proud of Kaidan, who had now become an instructor for a new biotics spec op squad at Anderson's insistence. And while she hadn't been able to see him often, they had frequently spoken through James, who had become a confidant between the two, with Shepard offering the nickname Friar. These things had made her sentence easy and almost relaxing, if not for the heavy knowledge that the Reapers were coming.

The trial in and of itself had been both exhausting and liberating. Shepard had been taken back into the Alliance for duping Cerberus, but had received a proverbial smack on the snout for Aratoht. Shepard was grateful the _Normandy_ had been able to extract some survivors, taking some of the heat off her back and proving that she hadn't acted out of spite or hatred. Fortunately, Kaidan had been able to capture two of the scientists from the base, and as Hackett promised, they took vast majority of the blame for the events, and had been put before a firing squad. Honestly, Shepard believed that sentence to be one of mercy for the scientists and appeasement for the Batarians, who had openly cried victory over the proceedings. Her confinement was mostly to keep anyone from attempting to harm her, though most of the fanatics had moved on. They had allowed her some comfort and let her live in part of the officer's section at HQ. At that moment, she heard a knock before the door to her quarters opened and Kaidan walked in.

"Hey, you. You're back earlier than I expected," she greeted him with a smile and a hug once the door closed. "You do remember our bargain, correct?"

"As promised," he replied solemnly as he held up a bag of jelly beans. Her smile changed to a grin as she grabbed the bag from him, smelling the sweets. "Don't spoil your appetite!" He shouted as he walked into her bedroom. "I'm going to cook you a filling dinner, and we are going to crack open that bottle I've been saving back at my apartment," he announced as he emerged from the room, a small bag in his hand. "Come on, we're going to head over there right now." Shepard raised her eyebrows. She didn't leave often, although she technically had the ability to move around the building.

"So what's the special occasion?" She asked as he all but dragged her out, James chuckling as they started walking down the hall.

"He got the promotion!" Vega announced as Kaidan opened his mouth, who then looked over in mock anger. Shepard chuckled at the exchange. The two had become quite amiable, almost like Joker and Kaidan on the SR-1, except now Kaidan could punch Vega instead of simply threatening, though Kaidan still had to clue Vega into their tech jokes.

"Well, well. Major Alenko. Stop kissing Admiralty ass before you're the one with the _Normandy_ and I'm just your XO, leading the ground team," she teased. "Or perhaps you just got jealous of my cabin."

"The cabin would always be welcome, but who's to say that wasn't my plan all along. Run the _Normandy_. Except for one detail: I'd still go out with you. Nothing like getting your hands dirty," Kaidan grinned, extra pep in his step. They all laughed and went over to Kaidan's quarters, which were roomier and meant for officers staying in Vancouver for long periods of time.

* * *

Dinner went well, just as Kaidan had promised. And the liquor had been good enough for Vega to volunteer to get another round of drinks. So now the pair sat on the couch, Shepard enjoying her jelly beans and Kaidan occasionally sneaking one for himself. He brought her close to him, letting her curl around him as he made off with another jelly bean.

"Not fair!" She exclaimed with a mock pout. Kaidan put the bean in his cheek.

"You want it? Come get it," he taunted, and she leaned in for a kiss, her tongue fishing out the bean and tasting the flavor of it in his mouth. One of his hands wandered to her hip, and one of hers found his shoulder. As she settled back onto the couch, he smiled at her. "Now would you do that if Vega took one?"

"Hell no. Vega does that, he owes me one more in the betting pool." Kaidan absently twirled a finger on a lock of her hair for a few moments before he spoke.

"About earlier, I wasn't entirely honest." She frowned, trying to think of when Kaidan would have lied. "About the promotion. Technically, I could ask to have my own ship, and I could ask to have you on there. They're almost done rebuilding the SSV Hong Kong. I could ask Hackett and Anderson to put in my name for consideration. We both want the action, and you shouldn't be cooped up here. And I could protect you. We wouldn't be separated. If you wanted to have a hand in the command structure, you could work on the ship as a Spectre. Unofficially, you'd be my co-captain. Would you want that?" Shepard sat there for a moment in shock. He'd obviously given the topic a great deal of thought. It was this kind of thing that made him such a wonderful person, and she smiled at him.

"Working on the _Hong Kong_ would be quite poetic. A ship brought back from the grave after the Battle of the Citadel, much like I was. Either way, I'm happy. Nothing else would be quite like the _Normandy_, but I would enjoy us being on the same ship again. We work well together." He held her hand. "But admit it, you just want to have the pleasure of me _serving under you_," she emphasized, grinning wickedly at him.

"Trust me, soldier. I'd put you through your paces if it weren't for a Lieutenant that also has to be present," he growled back at her, rubbing the hand he held. "Either way I want to keep us together. We do work well together, and Anderson and Hackett at least realize that. Possibly more of the admirals do too. I'll talk to Anderson tomorrow and see what he thinks about the idea. And speaking of him, he mentioned that your unofficial sentence is almost done. About another month and they'll start letting you back out into the field. I might let you come teach with me for a bit." She thought about the idea of teaching with him. It would be much quieter than normal, and the Council may not like it, but it could hurt to look at it. And she only had a month left of being stuck in the building. She hadn't hated the past five months, but they hadn't been a vacation either.

"I suppose it couldn't hurt to try it. We can talk about it more when it gets closer. And where the hell is Vega? Did he drop into a worm hole on the way to get those drinks?" She glanced at the door, half expecting him to be over there or in the kitchen.

"I took over guard duty for the night. James went home." Shepard shook her head as he leaned in to steal a kiss.

"Naughty naughty," she chided as he picked her up, walking towards his room. "I guess I'll just have to stay here, won't I?"

"Please do," he answered as they went to bed. At that moment, the Reapers were the last thing on both of their minds.


End file.
